Plug connectors having plugs and associated plug housings are ubiquitous. In the automobile sector, plugs of the most diverse types are used throughout the wiring of electrical systems. In this regard, it is frequently of great importance that the plug connection be extremely robust relative to forces originating from the connected cables. Under high mechanical stress, such as would occur in transport vehicles, vibrations and long cable lengths may cause damage to plug connections. This may lead to malfunctions. It is therefore generally desirable to provide plug connectors that are as robust as possible while, nevertheless, requiring minimal space, and that permit convenient operator control, or, in other words, simple disconnection and reconnection of the plug connection. Furthermore, provision should be made such that the plugs are inserted in a functionally proper manner into the respective, correct housing device. In this regard, the plug housing generally constitutes a type of guide for the plug in order to give it support in the plug housing.
Besides the general requirement that a corresponding plug housing must exist for a plug, special requirements apply if the plug is inserted from underneath, for example, into the associated plug housing, where the cables are led away from the plug at an angle. Thus, there are known plug connections which, in order to ensure that the plug connection is as secure as possible, are provided with a guide length equal to more than twice the diameter of the plug face. This guide length is the region in which at least portions of the plug are surrounded in form-fitting manner by the plug housing. In the case of electrical contacting in motor vehicles, an additional cable fixation is generally necessary directly behind the plug. Other known systems use metal clips, which are deformed in a manner that exerts force or are permanently fixed. As a result, the plug connection may not be disconnected inadvertently by inertial forces of the cable. A disadvantage of the known plug connections is the long guide length, which also leads to a large space requirement. For example, if the guide length is twice the diameter of the plug face, the space requirement, including the necessary travel for separation of the plug connection, is approximately four times the diameter of the plug face, to which there is added the length of the plug housing located outside the guide. Alternative solutions using the metal clips discussed above or using screwed connections are associated with high costs or with considerable time and effort for mounting and demounting. Such plug connections are inconvenient when there are repetitive disconnection and connection.